What you say #151
Banking hub in Amble? – We already have one!
The news that the TSB, the last bank in Amble is to close in June came as a blow to its customers. Barclays left the town years ago and the TSB is the last place where its customers can actually speak to a human being.
In its place a brand new ‘Banking hub’ has been announced. But did you know we already have one? Everything that a banking hub is advertising that they do, you can already do at the Post Office, and have been able to do for many years.
Yes, there will be part time representatives from your high street banks available to talk to, but they will be very limited as to the services they can provide.
At the Post Office, you can withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, get a balance and pay bills as well as usual postal services. We do the same thing as a hub.
A customer passed a comment recently about when the hub opens, they won’t need to do banking at the Post Office. We certainly hope that is not the case. Whether one or 100 people use the hub, they get paid regardless. At the Post Office, we get paid per transaction. If nobody uses us, we don’t get paid, it’s that simple.
A lot of people still aren’t aware that they can do their banking with us. Please spread the word, as if you don’t use us, YOU LOSE US!
Nicola Dawson
Dep Post Mistress, Amble PO
For more info on all the banking services at the PO see www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking
Filling in the gaps on women’s football
Thank you for the interesting article in Issue 150. Here is some information to help fill in the gaps regarding Women’s football in the town.
Amble Town Women’s Football Club was founded in June 1993 by Bill Godward and played the 93-94 season in the North Eastern Women’s League where they completed the league and cup double, going unbeaten against teams such as Sunderland Blackcats, Cowgate Kestrels and Newcastle United Reserves WFC. They were however beaten 6-0 by Sheffield Wednesday LFC of the Northern Premier League in the second round of the Women’s FA Cup that year (a match played at Coquet High School where Amble trained and played their home games).
In July 1994 the team travelled to Michigan to take part in a tournament which coincided with the World Cup being played in the USA that summer.
Having secured promotion to the Yorkshire and Humberside league for the 94-95 season the team found themselves facing opponents from Hartlepool, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Doncaster and Grimsby amongst others, with their first league defeat since formation coming in October 1994 when they were beaten 2-3 at home by Sunderland Women’s FC.
There were some Amble residents in the team, although players came from far and wide including many from Bill’s old team in Sunderland. The team welcomed players of all ages (girls and women) and their main sponsors were Metro Rod of Cramlington with strips provided courtesy of Sportsworld in Alnwick.
Around October 95 training was moved to Chester-le-Street to better reflect the base of players and the proximity to other teams in the league. This eventually led to Amble Town WFC being disbanded with Bill going on to form Chester-le-Street Town Ladies FC.
Caroline Forster
via email
No tarmac on unadopted road
I am writing to you with regards to my previous letter dated 17 October 2024, concerning the lane between the Library and the back of Second Avenue.
As of yet we have had no response and nothing of note has been done, with the exception of the grass directly behind the Library having been cut. I am attaching photographs (see one right) to show in detail why we residents are concerned and to give some idea as to the state of the lane after a little rain, I am sure that you can appreciate how potentially dangerous this could be in the event of freezing conditions.
I would also note that there is a streetlight located on this lane, and, unlike all of the other unadopted yet lit roads in the environs, it is not laid to tarmac.
I am hoping that you can assist further.
Lorraine Overton
via email
Thank you for helping my wife
I should be very grateful if you could publish my thanks to some residents of Amble who came to my aid when I was hit by a car while crossing Church Street near the junction with Bridge Street on Saturday 25 January. One of the ladies who helped me was an off-duty paramedic whose name I unfortunately did not get in my shaken state. Fortunately, I was not seriously injured but she rightly insisted that an ambulance be called.
Another lady called Lisa helpfully phoned my wife and wrote down details of the accident for me. Three or four ladies stayed with me until the ambulance arrived. All took time to care for me and showed great consideration for my situation, and are a credit to the friendliness my wife and I have always found on our visits to your town. My grateful thanks once again to a group of very Good Samaritans.
A thankful visitor (name supplied)
Via email
Hey NCC: Why not open up Amble’s old railway line for a pedestrian greenway?
Having failed to preserve the woods opposite the Amble Inn and failed to give Amble the roads we deserve for over 600 planned houses, will our esteemed Northumberland County councillors and planners now fail to provide safe pedestrian access to them?
Part of the old railway line crosses the A1068 between the industrial estate and the rear of King Edwin Primary school
They want to reopen 30km of derelict railway as a greenway from Alnwick to Wooler, but I suspect 300m of derelict railway in Amble is too much for them.
The trouble is it would:-
• provide a safe off road pedestrian access from most of Amble to the rear of JCSC and King Edwin school
• provide safe off-road pedestrian access from over 600 houses about to be built to both schools, Morrisons and Queen Street
• keep pedestrians away from the construction/school/future resident traffic jams they’re creating on Acklington Road
• encourage more active travel for all ages, reduce pollution and need for our overloaded health centre
• make the fenced off access path Persimmon were forced to provide in the Coquet Grange development actually useful.
The only drawback is 300m doesn’t add much length to help them catch up with Durham CC’s far more impressive network of ex-railway greenways.
Never mind Ambler readers, it was worth a try – perhaps we could persuade them that Amble is en route from Alnwick to Wooler !
Tom Lloyd
Via email
